The Pittsburgh Steelers needed three and a half games to lose their patience with their starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky. After another poor performance, Trubisky was benched at the halftime of the Week 4 game against the New York Jets, with rookie Kenny Pickett taking command of Pittsburgh’s offense.
The Steelers decided to leave Trubisky on the sidelines after he completed only 53.8% of his passes while throwing for 84 yards and an interception in the first half. Picket checked in for the third quarter and managed to spark a comeback that turned a 10-6 deficit at the half into a 10-20 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Pitt product had two touchdowns, both of which he scored using his legs.
However, things turned sour for Pickett towards the end of the game. He ended up throwing two interceptions, on top of one early in the third, and essentially allowed the Jets to produce a comeback of their own and win the game. The rookie finished the game with 120 passing yards, two rushing TDs, three interceptions, and a fumble.
“We needed a spark,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin after the game. “We didn’t do much in the first half, not enough offensively, and thought he could provide a spark for us.”
On the other hand, Trubisky was disappointed with the way he was pulled out of the game.
“It’s a tough deal,” he told the reporters. “It’s definitely not what I wanted, not what I expected. But it’s part of it.”
The Steelers are 1-3 to start the season but have the toughest part of the schedule ahead of them. Their next four opponents are the Buffalo Bulls, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Miami Dolphins, and the Philadelphia Eagles.
